The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-08-27
THAT LEYEE POLICY.
S79,2sf rut in the Pockets OF the PEN
itentiary Ring.
New Orleans Picayuuc.1

The administration organs are again
falling back upon the levee snhernate-
rial prefix and dwelling upon the num-
Der of dollars spent in the construction
of these safeguards against overflow.
There has been good deal OF money
expended for this purpose through the
Board Of Engineers, probably the fal.
amount that could be awarded to that
branch of tue public service. 1t is not
to be presumed that any man, who oc-
cupied the gubernatOriai chair would
interpose any obstacle t. Ievce build.
ing, or follow any other policy than
that of protecting the aiiuvial lands
against, overflow. r., ... afr
Others have worked even more zeal
ously than any State officials in the d.
rection of levee building, and by their
persistent efforts obtained as much or
more money for that purpose from
sources outside the State than has come
out of our local treasury. The River
Commission has expended rs much
money in building lcvees in Louisiana
as the State, and they have done this
without the advice or aid of Governor
Mcf,nery. On the contrary, he and his
supporters have been fighting the rep
resentatjVes of the State at Washington
who have been the most effective work.
ers in securing Federal aid for Louisi-
ana lcvees. What that aid has been is
attested by the report o: the Louisiana
Board Of State Engineers in their an
nual report Of 1882.
Tho levee work undertaken by the
General Government in this State since
the summer Of 1852, has nearly equaled
in amount and cost all that the State
has been able to undertake for herself
during the same period, and it is
largely In consequence of its snagnitutie
that some parts Of the work begun are
not yet completed. ....,.....,,...
Although the larger part of the levee
work undertaken by tho United States
up 10 the present has been above the
mouth of Red river. or not far below il,
it has not the less been beneficial to the
State at large, as il permitted the with
drawal from the Fifth Levee District
above the mouth of Red river-of all
that part of the General Engineer Fund
that would otherwise have been used
there in 1882 and; its expenditure on
the levees Of the lower river.
The total cost thus far of work on
'SN>Sc seA A<cAt>'Asth"j ohoCi (GC N1 1lSStS-
sippi River Commission, as shown by
reports OF the officers in charge. has
amounted to $s39,3Sl -.
The real question which the peoale of
Louisiana have to consider is whether
the present administration has wisely
and honestly administered the funds
set apart for building levees.
We shall not stop to consider whether
this fund has been manipulated for
election purposes in the way Of locating
levees to conciiate certain parties or
localities, or the construction of them
at a time when they might influence
an election.
We pass to other and more serious
charges. The Picsyunc, in the carly
days Of Governor McEnery's incum-
bency, proved by documentary evil
dence how his brother, John McEucry.
was plundering the Levce and Drain
age Fand by the use of the illegal scrip
issued under his land contract. The
Governor himself decided that these
warrants were illegal, and after tre-
mendous pressure on him stopped their
issue and receipt into The Treasury.
But he never made any effort to re-
cover one dollar of the money thus il,
legally diverted from the purpose of
levce building. Mr.. Richardson stood
| at tho treasury and intercepted money
belonging TO that fund, substituting
fer it these Illegal AfcIIucry land war
rants. No effort Was made to rieh,
this wrong. The offending official was
forced to retire under the pressure, bat
mover gave upnny Of the spoils. These
facts can be proven by documcntary
evidence, aud, indeed, arc not denied,
At the session Of the Legislature OF
1851 there was an act passed which
gave to James Il McGinty. the lcssees
of tho State Pcnitcntiary, a monopoly
of levee building at fixed price. The
rate was fixed in the act at 21c per ward
for all over IA feet high, ranging down
TO 15c for s feet. This bill DESTROYED
oil competition in bidding for levee
work and shut out all free labor that
did not paya tribute to the Peniten-
tiary Ring. Every contract worth
having was awarded TO tho mouopo.
lists, and many OF them sublet at much
lower rates. Governor NfcEnery signed
this bill, and signed the contract with
james & Mcdinty. From July 10
1881, the date of the passage OF this ac'
! (Which is numbered Sj). to The time
fixed for the expiration of The contract
Dec. 81, 1850, they have constructed
2,f43,000 yards Of ievecs AT cost o
20 SO cents per yard.
The very next day after the monor
oily expired, Jan. ., 1856, under sre,
competition the Marmeux levcc i,
| West Baton Rouge was let al Is cent
per yard, or . cents less than the me
nopoly price, Vigorous efforts wcrt